Rotary forging apparatus



L. D. HOLUM ROTARY FORGING APPARATUS Sept.'24, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1966 Ira/21% ow/aerace fl,%&4ew

Sept. 24, 1968 L. D. HOLUM 3,402,585

ROTARY FORGING APPARATUS I T-iled Sep-t-. 15, 1.966 t I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .f 32 \\\&\ 05 35 w I i zz 4 United States Patent 3,402,585 ROTARY FORGING APPARATUS Lawrence D. Holum, Box 203, N. Main Road, Rockford, Iii. 61105 Filed Sept. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 579,762 7 Claims. (Cl. 72198) This invention relates to forging machines and more particularly to a rotary forging machine.

The prior art in the field of forging is replete with apparatus and methods for forging pieces by the use of reciprocating dies. While there are recognized advantages in a method of forging employing rotating dies, apparatus to perform this method have been unsuccessful because the dies did not approach one another linearly. This resulted in undesirable stress distribution through the forged piece since opposite sides of the forging blank were not equally compressed and uniformly deformed. Other disadvantages were equally apparent.

One apparatus shown in the prior art solves the problem of rectilinear die motion by a cam control of the die carriers which aligns the dies to close linearly immediately before the forging operation commences. However, the cam controlled method is not entirely satisfactory since it is not believed to provide the positive control necessary for accurate die alignment and involves complex mechanism for changing the die position during a selected portion of each revolution.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a rotary forging apparatus having a positive control of the die positions throughout rotation of the wheels on which the dies are mounted.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rotary forging apparatus having means for positioning complementary forging dies mounted on wheels continuously in parallel relation to one another during rotation of the wheels whereby the complementary dies close linearly.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a rotary forging apparatus in which complementary forging dies mounted on the rotating wheels are continuously parallel and the forging blanks are synchronously fed between the linearly closing complementary forging dies.

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a rotary forging apparatus having a single station constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the rotary forging apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation sectional view of one wheel of the rotary forging apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 taken along the line 33;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view showing the forging blank transfer mechanism in an extended delivery position; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view of the forging blank transfer mechanism shown in FIGURE 4 in a retracted pick-up position.

Briefly, the invention comprises a rotary forging apparatus having one or more stations, each station including a pair of rotating wheels mounted on a stationary shaft, synchronously driven 'by a power source and tangent at one point. Each wheel includes a driven gear and a die carrier housing having a plurality of die carriers each supporting a die and radially spaced from the fixed shaft, each die carrier mounted on a shaft having a gear fixedly mounted on one end thereof. A plurality of idler gears are mounted on the driven gear engaging the stationary gear shaft and the die carrier gears so that as the wheel revolves the die carriers on each wheel rotate and maintain the same position relative to one another.

A forging blank movement apparatus is synchronously driven with the rotating forging wheels and functions to grasp forging blanks from a continuous supply and position the blank between the closing complementary forging dies prior to their closure. Such apparatus also transfers the forging blank from one station of the rotary forging apparatus to another when more than one forging operation is performed on a single blank.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 through 3, there is shown one embodiment of a rotary forging apparatus 20 having a single forging station. Apparatus 20 comprises frame upper and lower members 22 and 24 and a pair of forging wheels generally indicated by reference numerals 26 and 28. Mounted on upper frame member 22 is a power source or motor 30 having an output shaft 32 and a drive gear 34. It will be appreciated that the apparatus frame may be horizontally or vertically oriented, the preferred orientation being horizontal since this facilitates multiple station operation as more fully explained hereinafter.

Since each of the forging wheels 26 and 28 are in all respects identical it will suflice to describe one of such wheels. Wheel 26 is mounted on stationary shaft 36 fixedly supported in frame members 22 and 24. A large diameter driven gear 38 is rotatably mounted on bearing 40 near the upper end of shaft 36 on journal portion 4-2 of the shaft. Driven gear 38 engages drive gear 34 mounted on motor drive shaft 32.

A die carrier epicyclic gear train 44 is positioned below the driven gear 38 and comprises fixed gear 46, idler gears 48 and die carrier gears 50. Fixed gear 46 is fixedly mounted or integrally formed on stationary shaft 36 and engages three idler gears 48 radially spaced from fixed shaft 36 and equally circumferentially spaced. Idler gears 48 are supported on shaft 52; one end of each shaft 52 is supported by bearing 54 disposed in driven gear 38 and the other end of each shaft 52 is supported by bearing 56 disposed in die carrier housing 58. Three die carrier gears 50 are further radially spaced from fixed shaft 36 and are also equally circumferentially spaced, each of the gears 50 fixedly mounted on a die carrier shaft 60. Three cylindrical openings 62 are formed in driven gear 38 spaced radially from fixed shaft 36 for receiving the ends of the carrier gears 56 without any contact therewith.

Spaced below die carrier gear train 44 is die carrier housing 58 having a generally triangular shape with truncated corners. Each corner of housing 58 has an opening 64 for receiving die carriers 66. Die carrier housing 58 is rotatably supported on journals portions 68 and 70 of fixed shaft 36 through bearings 72 and 74. Lower bearing 74 additionally supports forging wheel 26 it being also understood that suitable supporting members are positioned between housing 58, gear train 44 and driven gear 38 to provide proper spacing between such elements.

Each die carrier shaft 60 is rotatably mounted in housing 58 by bearings 76 and 78 and each die carrier 66 is fixedly mounted on such shaft. As may be seen in FIGURE 1, each die carrier 66 is generally cylindrical in shape but has a fiat face 80. Mounted through bolts 82 on the flat face 80 of each die carrier 66 is a forging die 84, the die shown being adapted for forging balls such as may be used for ball bearings and thus has a hemispherical opening.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that the driven gears of the forging wheels 26 and 28 are engaged and are driven by a single power source 30 through drive gear 34. It will also be seen, particularly from FIGURE 5, that complementary forging dies on each forging wheel are radially spaced from the axis of the fixed shafts so that the dies revolve on tangential arcuate paths and are in contact once during each revolution of the forging wheels so as to form a spherical forging die for swaging the ball bearing.

In FIGURES 4 and 5 a forging blank transfer or feed mechanism 86 is shown for supplying blanks to the rotary forging apparatus 29. The transfer mechanism comprises a reciprocating ram 88 positioned immediately adjacent to the forging wheels 26 and 28 in the same horizontal plane as the forging dies 84. A pair of fingers or resilient cylindrically shaped clamp 99 is fixedly mounted on the end of ram 88 for temporarily retaining a blank 92 during transfer. Blank 92 is formed by severing or cutting off a rod with means (not shown) well known in the art. The individual blanks are intermittently fed to the position shown in FIGURE 5 by a conventional feed advancing mechanism (not shown) and maintained in this position by means (not shown) supporting the blank through resilient frictional contact with the blank end portions. Alternatively the blank may be positioned for pick-up by the clamp 90 by axially advancing a rod coaxially with the cylindrical clamp 99 and simultaneously severing a blank from the rod with movement of the ram 88. Such means for severing, advancing and positioning the blank for pickup by the ram 38 are well known in the art and form no part of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that forging apparatus is adapted for forging various shaped pieces and the forging dies, as illustrated, for forming ball bearings is only exemplary. Accordingly, the shape of clamp 66 on reciprocating ram 88 is indicative of only one means for retaining the forging blank during transfer to the closing dies which is compatible with the particular forging dies shown and described.

In operation, the forging wheels 26 and 28 are rotated in synchronism through motor 30, drive gear 34 and driven gears 36 and 38. Rotation of driven gears 33 causes rotation of idler gears 48 around the circumference of fixed gear 46 and thereby rotates gears 48 on shafts 76. Die carrier gears 5t? are also rotated in a circular path around fixed shaft 36 and engagement with idler gears 48 effects rotation of gears 50 on die carrier shafts 60. Die carrier gears 50 are constructed with the same number of teeth as fixed gear 46 so that epicyclic gear train 44 will effect rotation of die carriers 66 on shaft whereby die carrier face 81 remains in the same plane.

Considering the two forging wheels 26 and 28 it will be appreciated that forging dies 84 remain in parallel planes throughout their rotation. It is apparent, therefore, that forging dies 84 on the wheels 26 and 28 will close or approach one another linearly, i.e., without relative angular movement and each pair of forging dies will be brought in tangential contact once during each revolution of wheels 26 and 28.

The reciprocating movement of ram 35 is synchronized with rotation of forging wheels 26 and 28. A blank 92 is picked up by clamp 90 on ram 88 as the ram advances and temporarily retains the blank during transfer. Blank 92 is moved between linearly closing forging dies 84-, the ends of the blank being inserted in the hemispherical die openings and gripped therein, whereupon movement of ram 88 ceases and blank 92 is carried forwardly by forging dies 84 to perform the forging operation. Ram 88 is retracted to a position as shown in FIGURE 5 and a new forging blank is positioned in the path of ram 88 for transfer to the next pair of approaching dies.

In the event that more than one forging operation is to be performed on a blank, a second station comprising a pair of like forging wheels is positioned adjacent to forging wheels 26 and 28. Transfer mechanism (not shown) is provided to pick up the formed blank from the first station and transfer such blank in synchronism to linearly approaching dies mounted on such second station forging wheels. Each station is disposed relative to the adjacent station so that the movement of the forging blank is rectilinear through the plurality of stations.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspect. Accordingly, it is the aim of the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A rotary forging apparatus comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) a pair of spaced-apart stationary shafts fixedly supported by said frame;

(c) each of said shafts rotatably supporting a driven gear;

(d) a die carrier housing rotatably supported on each of said stationary shafts, each housing connected to one of said driven gears;

(e) at least one die carrier rotatably supported by each of said die carrier housings;

(f) said die carriers on each of said die carrier housings fixedly supporting complementary forging dies, said complementary forging dies being radially spaced from said stationary shafts so as to revolve with respect to said stationary shafts on tangential arcuate paths;

(g) gear means connected to each of said stationary shafts for rotation of said die carriers with respect to said die carrier housings so as to maintain said complementary forging dies in continuous parallel relation whereby said forging dies close linearly; and

(h) means for driving said driven gears in synchronism.

2. The rotary forging apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said gear means comprises a picyelic gear train including:

(a) a fixed gear supported by said stationary shaft;

(b) at least one radially spaced idler gear engaging said fixed gear; and

(c) at least one radially spaced die carrier gear engaging said idler gear, said die carrier gear and said fixed gear having the same number of teeth.

3. The rotary forging apparatus set forth in claim 2 additionally comprising means for moving forging blanks between said linearly closing complementary forging dies.

4. The rotary forging apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein said means for moving forging blanks between said linearly closing complementary forging dies includes:

(a) reciprocating means for carrying said forging blanks; and

(b) means for temporarily retaining said forging blanks on said reciprocating means during carrying.

5. The rotary forging apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said gear means comprises an epicyclic gear train including:

(a) a fixed gear supported by said stationary shaft;

(b) three radially spaced idler gears equally circumferentially spaced engaging said fixed gear, each of said idler gears fixedly mounted on a shaft, one end of each of said shafts rotatably supported by said driven gear and the other end of each of said shafts rotatably supported by said die carrier housing; and

(c) three radially spaced die carrier gears equally circumferentially spaced, each of said die carrier gears engaging one of said idler gears, each of said carrier gears fixedly mounted on one end of a shaft, each said shaft rotatably supported by said carrier housing and supporting one of said die carriers.

6. The rotary forging apparatus of claim 2 wherein said driven gears are in operative engagement and wherein said means for driving said driven gears in synchronism is in operative engagement with one of said driven gears.

7. A rotary forging apparatus comprising:

(a) a frame;

(b) a pair of spaced apart stationary shafts fixedly supported by said frame, each said shaft including a fixed gear;

(c) each of said shafts rotatably supporting a forging wheel including,

(1) a driven gear,

(2) a die carrier housing,

(3) a plurality of die carriers rotatably supported en die carrier shafts by said die carrier housing and radially spaced [from said stationary shaft,

(4) a die carrier 'gear fixedly mounted on each said die carrier shaft coplanar with said stationary shaft fixed gear,

(5) idler gears meshing with said fixed gear and each of said die carrier gears,

(6) a forging die mounted on each of said die carriers;

(d) said forging dies on said forging wheels being complementary and radially spaced from said stationary shaft so as to rotate with respect to said stationary shafts on tangential circular paths; and

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,029,513 6/1912 Reinhard 72-215 10 2,988,937 6/1961 Nowakowski 72--208 3,239,912 3/1966 Baumgartner et a1. 72191 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

15 L. A. LARSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A ROTARY FORGING APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) A FRAME; (B) A PAIR OF SPACED-APART STATIONARY SHAFTS FIXEDLY SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME; (C) EACH OF SAID SHAFTS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING A DRIVEN GEAR; (D) A DIE CARRIER HOUSING ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON EACH OF SAID STATIONARY SHAFTS, EACH HOUSING CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID DRIVEN GEARS; (E) AT LEAST ONE DIE CARRIER ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY EACH OF SAID DIE CARRIER HOUSINGS; (F) SAID DIE CARRIERS ON EACH OF SAID DIE CARRIER HOUSINGS FIXEDLY SUPPORTING COMPLEMENTARY FORGING DIES, SAID COMPLEMENTARY FORGING DIES BEING RADIALLY SPACED FROM SAID STATIONARY SHAFTS SO AS TO REVOLVE WITH RESPECT TO SAID STATIONARY SHAFTS ON TANGENTIAL ARCUATE PATHS; (G) GEAR MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID STATIONARY SHAFTS FOR ROTATION OF SAID DIE CARRIERS WITH RESPECT TO SAID DIE CARRIER HOUSINGS SO AS TO MAINTAIN SAID COMPLEMENTARY FORGING DIES IN CONTINUOUS PARALLEL RELATION WHEREBY SAID FORGING DIES CLOSE LINEARLY; AND (H) MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID DRIVEN GEARS IN SYNCHRONISM. 